Lords of Waterdeep Review

If you love a good fantasy, but have grown tired of always having to be the ones to traipse through those dangerous dungeons yourself, Lords of Waterdeep has arrived.

If you've played the popular tabletop game, Lords of Waterdeep, you'll know precisely what to expect from this masterful digital conversion. In this title, you'll be one of the eponymous lords vying for control of the eponymous city, competing either against your friends or against vicious A.I. opponents in a series of manipulations and machinations. LoW requires thoughtful utilization of your resources, so those looking for a casual play experience will probably find the steep learning curve intimidating. The basic gameplay involves players assigning Agents, an important resource-gathering resource, in order to complete quests, who grant additional different types of resources and aid in completing the all-important quests.

Quests grant points, the final tally of which determines the overall victor for a match. Players control different Lords, each of whom comes with a unique ability to provide some variety to repeated playthroughs. Your Lord also impacts the quests you'll want to be completing, as certain characters get extra points for completing quests of a corresponding type. There are also many, many other elements to the game, but discovering the intricacies of Lords of Waterdeep as you play is part of the fun. If it sounds kind of involved, it is, and it occasionally suffers for it, but this tendency towards complexity doesn't mean it's not a hell of a good time.

Though you do have the option of playing against the computer, Lords of Waterdeep was meant to be played against living, breathing people, which is why there's not only online multiplayer, but local as well. Other people offer the kind of wheeling and dealing and mind games you'll get with a physical copy of LoW, so if you have the option of physically playing with those around you, it's highly recommended.

The conversion from tabletop to touchscreen might seem like a shaky transition, but here it works well. You tap, you drag, and you get to playing. You'll also find that the melodic score and occasional sound effects do an admirable job of enhancing the play experience. This title captures the aesthetics of the tabletop game almost 100%, so, while it is an accurate-looking and uncluttered experience, it's also not likely to elicit any oohs and ahhs, either.

Playdek, Inc. managed to encompass the awesomeness of a beloved tabletop game in an almost perfect conversion to the digital world. Lords of Waterdeep provides an intense, strategic experience that's best played with friends, and though it can occasionally lean on the rules to the point of becoming convoluted, the varied gameplay and great potential for inter-personal interactions make for an awesome experience.

App Store Link: Lords of Waterdeep for iPhone & iPad | By Playdek Inc| Price: $9.99 | Version: 1.0.0 | 376 MB | Rating 9+